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1961 GSM Delta

Offered by H&H Classics | Epsom, U.K. | June 5, 2018

Photo – H&H Classics

Bob van Niekerk and Willie Meissner founded the Glassport Motor Company in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1958. Fiberglass sports cars had been on sale in the U.S. and U.K. for a few years by this point, but Niekerk and Meissner decided to open the doors for such cars for the South African market.

Their first car was called the Dart. It was a sporty little roadster with an optional hardtop. It was a good enough car that the British took note and GSM began exporting them to the U.K. (or assembling them in England). The problem was that Daimler already sort of had the whole “Dart” thing cornered, so GSM called the export cars the Delta. And that’s what we have here.

GSM didn’t build their own engines, instead based the Dart/Delta around other cars. This car originally had a 1.0-liter engine but now sports a 1.5-liter straight-four. Production records are sketchy, but it is thought that 122 Darts were built as well as 76 Deltas. Restored a while ago, this car shows well and should bring between $24,000-$30,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

1942 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hampton, New Hampshire | June 23-24, 2018

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

It all changed for Lincoln in 1940. They were among the first to really move into the “modern” era of automobiles. The Model K that dated to 1931 was out of production and the Lincoln-Zephyr and Continental were on sale. These were clean, modern-looking designs and the Continental was just stellar.

In December of 1941, everything changed. America was at war and automobile production was about be put on hold for years. Very few 1942 model year cars were built in the U.S. The 1942 Continental was the rarest of the pre-war Continentals with just 136 Cabriolets and 200 Coupes built.

All were powered by a 4.8-liter V-12 that made 130 horsepower. The restoration on this car is described as “older” but “well-preserved.” It’s known to have been part of quite a few collections over the years and comes out of the Dingman Collection after only about 18 months as a part of it. See more about this car here and more about this collection here.

1914 Lozier Model 77 Five-Passenger Touring

Offered by Bonhams | Greenwich, Connecticut | June 3, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

Henry Lozier made his money in sewing machines and bicycles. In 1900 he moved to Plattsburgh, New York, and decided to get into the automobile business. Unfortunately he died in 1903, but his son, Harry, took over and the first Lozier cars were on the road in 1905. They built some of the most expensive cars in the U.S. at the time.

The Model 77 was built in 1913 and 1914. The 1914 model was Lozier’s “big” car and came equipped with a 6.4-liter straight-six rated at 36 horsepower. Five body styles were offered from the factory and the five-passenger Touring was the cheapest (along with the two-passenger Runabout) at a whopping $3,250. A Model T Touring from the same year was $550.

This car was once owned by the grandson of Harry Lozier. Restored prior to going on display at the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum in Plattsburgh in 2006, this Lozier Touring is being offered from that museum. Lozier only lasted through 1918 and it’s thought that only 30 Lozier cars survive in total. This one should bring between $300,000-$400,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Two Shelby Prototypes

Offered by Bonhams | Greenwich, Connecticut | June 3, 2018

1997 Shelby Aurora V-8 Can-Am

Photo – Bonhams

The Shelby Can-Am was a racing series that used purpose-built race cars from Carroll Shelby. All cars were identical and powered by 255 horsepower V-6 engines. The series – which was open to amateurs – ran from 1991 through 1996 in the U.S.

Originally, Shelby wanted to offer a bigger, badder version of the car. He only built one prototype – and this is it. It’s powered by the then-popular 4.0-liter Oldsmobile Aurora V-8. It was tuned to make 500 horsepower and was the same engine used in the Series 1 sports car. This is the only example built and it ran some test laps at Willow Springs but otherwise has been sitting in Ol’ Shel’s personal collection since. This would be a fun track day toy for someone and it should cost them between $20,000-$25,000. Click here for more info.

1983 Dodge Shelby Ram Prototype

Photo – Bonhams

The first generation of the Dodge Ram was produced from 1981 through 1993. The beginning of production coincided time-wise with Chrysler’s relationship with Carroll Shelby. You might think it’s weird to have Shelby’s name on a truck, but hey, he built a Dakota and a Durango.

This one-off Ram was partly a styling exercise (to mimic the styling of the recently introduced Shelby Charger). But because Shelby couldn’t help himself, the motor was spruced up as well: it’s a 300 horsepower, 5.9-liter V-8. It’s a pretty decked out truck all around. This is coming from Carroll’s personal collection where he maintained this 11,000 mile truck since new. It should sell for between $10,000-$15,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

1903 Ford Model A Open Tourer

Offered by Bonhams | Hillegom, Netherlands | June 23, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

Henry Ford had two companies that failed before the Ford Motor Company finally found its footing. The first model that they put on sale was the Model A, the original Model A, not the one from the late-20s. It was only sold in 1903 and transformed into the Model AC for 1904.

The engine is a 1.6-liter flat-twin. Horsepower was rated at eight. Two body styles were offered: a two-passenger runabout or a larger four-seat tonneau as you see here. This car would’ve cost $850 when new but it was handily outsold by other cars at the time. Ford wouldn’t perfect that famous low-price approach for another decade or so.

Ford maintains that they built 670 examples of the Model A, though other sources differ. The exact history of this particular car is unknown at the time of this writing, but it is coming out of an all-Ford museum in the Netherlands. If you want to know more about it, click here. It’s expected that this early piece of American automotive history should bring between $75,000-$95,000. Click here for more from this museum liquidation.

1938 Brough Superior 4½-Litre V-12 Sports Saloon

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | July 13, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

George Brough built some of the best motorcycles the world has ever seen. They were overbuilt masterpieces of engineering that are highly sought after today and remain one of the most expensive motorcycles you can buy in today’s world. Between 1935 and 1939 Brough built a very select few four-wheeled automobiles as well.

Originally he offered a 3.5-liter six and a 4.0-liter eight. Only about 20 eight-cylinder cars were built (it used a chassis from Hudson, much like the Railton, which was a Brough automotive competitor, and Railton sued and it became a thing so Hudson stopped supplying the chassis). So Brough only had a six-cylinder car left after that. George then decided to build a large twelve-cylinder car, using an engine from a Lincoln-Zephyr. This car is powered by that silky-smooth, 4.4-liter, 110 horsepower V-12.

Unfortunately, it was 1938 and introducing an expensive V-12 road car probably wasn’t the best financial move, especially as this car would’ve retailed for £1,250 with the body (for comparison, a ’37 Ford Model Y would’ve run only £100). Only one car was completed, this one. The sports saloon coachwork is by Charlesworth, the main coachbuilder of Brough Superior’s chief car rival, Alvis. This one-off has been in storage for 25 years but will be a hot show item when restored. It should bring between $20,000-$34,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

1907 Thomas-Detroit Model C Tourer

Offered by Bonhams | Greenwich, Connecticut | June 3, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

Thomas-Detroit was a short-lived marque founded in 1906 after two former Oldsmobile employees had a chance encounter with E.R. Thomas of the Thomas Motor Company. The two ex-Olds employees, engineer Howard Coffin and salesman Roy Chapin, convinced Thomas to help fund their building of a slightly smaller car than Thomas was currently offering out of his Buffalo-based enterprise.

So Thomas-Detroit was set up in Detroit to build a 40HP car. It was offered in 1906, 1907, and 1908 only because Chapin and Coffin became tired of being managed from afar. They convinced Hugh Chalmers to buy out Thomas and the marque became Chalmers-Detroit for 1909 before becoming just Chalmers in 1911.

This Model C is powered by a 5.8-liter straight-four making 40 horsepower. It was offered as a Runabout, Touring car, Limousine, or Landaulette. This Touring would’ve cost $2,750 when new. Very few Thomas-Detroit motorcars were ever completed and sold before the company’s name changed. This one has been wonderfully restored and should bring between $125,000-$175,000 at auction. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

1970 Aston Martin DB6 Mk II Volante

Offered by Bonhams | Reading, U.K. | June 2, 2018

Photo – Bonhams

The DB6 went on sale in late 1965. Aston Martin introduced a “Mk II” version in August of 1969. Mk II cars can be identified by pronounced flares on the wheel arches that came stuffed with wider tires and wider wheels than the earlier cars had.

The DB6 was available as a coupe or convertible. It’s powered by a 4.0-liter straight-six that makes 282 horsepower. This particular car is one of just 38 Mk II Volantes (convertibles). It’s a beautiful car finished in Light Sky Blue, a different shade of its original color.

This right-hand drive example was sold new in London and had three other owners before being sold to its current owner in 1983. The most recent restoration dates to 1991 with an engine rebuild in 2001 and significant services completed over the course of the last 15 years. These gorgeous convertibles don’t changes hands often and this is one that hasn’t been seen in quite a while. It is expected to bring between $950,000-$1,200,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Pininfarina was responsible for the styling and just 448 examples were produced between 2000 and 2001. They were quite pricey when new and it was eventually succeeded by the 575 Superamerica. These cars were so popular that Ferrari has continued to offer late-cycle convertibles of their big front-engined V-12 cars. And they are always rare and always ridiculously expensive.

This 3,000-mile example is powered by a 485 horsepower, 5.5-liter V-12. It’s one of 42 sold new in the U.K. and does have right-hand drive. This 199 mph convertible still shows that it is a sought-after car, nearly 20 years on, as it carries a pre-sale estimate of $450,000-$525,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Silverstone’s all-Ferrari lineup.

And this is the bus or van version, apparently. Fleur De Lys Automobiles was founded in 1983 to build old-looking delivery vehicles with modern reliability. Mechanicals were lifted from period Fords for ease of repair and reliability’s sake. This Newark Minibus is powered by a 2.0-liter straight-four and has a four-speed manual transmission.

Instead of being a simple delivery van, it actually has seats in the back. In total, it seats nine and has an entertainment system. It would make a good party bus and should cost its new owner between $22,000-$25,000. Click here for more from Brightwells.

Update: Not sold.

1993 Asquith Shetland

Offered by Mecum | Denver, Colorado | June 8-9, 2018

Photo – Mecum

Here’s another neo-classic style delivery van. The Asquith Motor Company Ltd. was founded in Braintree, England in 1981 (the 80s were a popular time for this type of thing).

This Shetland is a retro delivery vehicle that was exported to the U.S. as a kit and assembled stateside. It’s powered by a 1.0-liter Suzuki engine and has a 5-speed transmission. The paint is very nice and it’s only covered 875 miles. If you have a small business, this is a great promotional vehicle. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum in Denver.